Chapter 1: The Jian Douluo's Personal Disciple is a Soul Beast

"Jian'er, is your soul power still unable to increase?"

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Honorary Elder residential area, inside a small building by the lake.

Jian Douluo Chen Xin stepped onto the stairs and arrived in front of a sealed door on the second floor.

"Click, click."

He pressed the switch on the door with one hand, and saw the two heavy doors slowly open to both sides.

"Jian'er, don't always stay in this Sword Pool. Although the Mimicry Cultivation Ground helps you comprehend the Self-created Soul Skill your teacher passed on, it's not something that can be mastered in a short time..."

Jian Douluo looked inside the door, a faint smile appearing on his rigid face: "You, don't be overly ambitious. After all, this is a Self-created Soul Skill that your teacher spent thirty years creating, one that can rival the Clear Sky Sect's Great Sumeru Hammer. It's hard enough for you to even enter the door after spending three years on it."

"Bang, bang."

The doors opened completely, and Jian Douluo looked inside while his mouth didn't stop: "At your age, it's more important to accumulate soul power. Although you have Innate Full Soul Power, you haven't made any progress in three years, and Old Gu's disciple has already surpassed you..."

"Eh? Where is he?"

At this moment, Jian Douluo suddenly froze. He swept his gaze across the sword forest in the room and didn't find anyone.

"He's actually not in the Mimicry Cultivation Ground today?"

He muttered in confusion, but in the next moment, his pupils constricted, and then his gaze gathered in the center of the sword forest.

Sure enough, the figure of an eight or nine-year-old boy slowly emerged there.

"Teacher, I have been here the whole time..."

Qin Jian looked at Jian Douluo at the door, a warm smile appearing on his face.

He was wearing light blue clothing similar to Jian Douluo's; from a distance, he looked just like a miniature version of Jian Douluo.

It was just that his little face was too exquisite, truly much better-looking than Jian Douluo's.

"This is... My Body as a Sword!"

Jian Douluo spoke slowly, unable to hide his shock.

Qin Jian took small steps out of the Sword Pool and looked up at Jian Douluo with a smile: "Yes, Teacher. I spent three years and finally initially comprehended your Self-created Soul Skill!"

Jian Douluo took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, soothing the shock in his heart.

He had never underestimated the talent of his personal disciple; even though he had been unable to increase his soul power, he had never doubted it.

Because he had Innate Full Soul Power, and the martial soul he awakened was an instrument of slaughter—a sword!

But Jian Douluo still hadn't expected Qin Jian to be able to initially comprehend his Self-created Soul Skill, Man-Sword Unity, at such a young age. How powerful must this talent be... he couldn't imagine.

"Let's go, time for dinner."

He returned to his dead-fish-like expression, casually ruffled Qin Jian's soft hair, and turned to walk downstairs first.

Qin Jian hurriedly trotted to keep up, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile as he thought: "Teacher is putting on an act again. I bet he'll go find Gu Douluo to show off as soon as he finishes eating!"

The dining table wasn't large, and sitting opposite each other, Jian Douluo and Qin Jian didn't seem far apart.

"Thank you for preparing dinner for me, Teacher."

Qin Jian had been cultivating all day and was hungry, so he immediately grabbed his chopsticks and began to wolf down his food.

Seeing him like this, Jian Douluo couldn't help but shake his head: "Eat slowly, don't choke."

"Mmm..."

Qin Jian nodded, his mouth full.

"Besides, this meal wasn't prepared by your teacher..."

Jian Douluo casually picked up a piece of food and frowned slightly: "The food made by the sect cooks is far worse than yours, Jian'er."

Hearing this, Qin Jian chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth, looked up at Jian Douluo, and narrowed his eyes: "Then I'll just cook for you from now on, Teacher."

Jian Douluo looked at the boy's young and exquisite face, and his heart stirred: "The smile on this child's face is always so warm..."

He held his chopsticks, his brows furrowing for a moment, slightly hesitant.

Qin Jian, opposite him, was a bit curious: "Teacher, what's wrong?"

Jian Douluo opened his mouth, looked at Qin Jian again, and then said slowly: "Jian'er, as far as I know, after a Soul Beast transforms into human form, its cultivation speed is much faster than a human's..."

"Clatter!"

Qin Jian's face twitched, and one of the chopsticks in his hand fell onto the table.

The sound seemed particularly jarring at this moment.

But Qin Jian's expression returned to normal in an instant; he picked up the chopstick as if nothing had happened and put another piece of food into his mouth.

He chewed while saying indistinctly: "Teacher, didn't you say before that Soul Beasts transforming into humans have extremely high talent and cultivate very quickly? It's normal for them to be faster than us humans, right?"

Seeing his seemingly calm and composed appearance, Jian Douluo couldn't help but curve his mouth.

Since he had decided to expose Qin Jian's true identity, he naturally wouldn't stop there.

Thus, Jian Douluo rested his chin on his left hand and asked seemingly casually: "Then why have you been unable to increase your soul power for three whole years?"

"Thump, thump..."

The heart in Qin Jian's chest beat violently. He managed to force a stiff smile: "T-Teacher, I don't understand what you mean. What does my problem of being unable to increase soul power have to do with Soul Beasts?"

"How could it not have anything to do with it?"

Jian Douluo smiled very easily, but the words he spoke made Qin Jian feel cold all over, as if he had fallen into an Ice Cave: "Aren't you a Soul Beast that has transformed into a human?"

He casually picked up some food and continued to eat.

But Qin Jian, opposite him, was stiff all over. He could only slowly lower his head, harboring a glimmer of hope as he said: "Teacher... don't joke around. How could I be a Soul Beast..."

Seeing his cautious appearance, Jian Douluo didn't know why, but he felt like teasing this little fellow.

Acting like a little adult all day long—he had long wanted to tease him. Even if he was a Soul Beast transformed into a human, since he had just reached human form, his mentality should still be that of a child.

"Jian'er, Teacher has to say that your disguise is very successful. Despite not having reached level 60 soul power, there isn't a trace of Soul Beast aura on you, which is why neither I nor Old Gu were able to discover your true identity at first..."

Jian Douluo stood up while speaking and walked over to sit in the chair beside Qin Jian.

"It's a pity that you are my personal disciple. Having spent these three years together day and night, some of your habits are still different from humans..." he said, looking down at Qin Jian.

It was just like a hunter staring at their prey.

Qin Jian lowered his head, sweat beads from his forehead sliding down his face and dripping off.

"But Teacher, that is only your speculation, isn't it?" he said softly.

Jian Douluo shook his head and said, "You still refuse to give up; then I will say one more thing, this might be something even you yourself do not know."

He smiled and said, "You think your aura is perfectly concealed, but you do not know that this is also achieved by relying on the existence of soul power within your body. If you exhaust your soul power, you will never be able to conceal your Soul Beast aura again..."

Qin Jian's expression changed, and he suddenly stood up, retreated a few steps, and looked at Jian Douluo in shock: "Teacher... is... is this true?"

Jian Douluo smiled very happily.

"Of course this is true!"

"......"

(End of chapter)